Chapter 20
Brandon was at home surfing the net. He decided that he was gonna research any articles in the paper about High Harmonies that he could find. He was intrigued with a good mystery, and this definitely was one. Most of the articles had been either the standard teen magazine review, or a local news paper giving a review of the concert that had just been in their town.
He smiled at the fact that for the most part, every review the critiques gave them was a good one. But then he saw something that caught his eye. It was a headline from a small town paper. It read, "Hometown girl killed in car crash while chasing popular singing group" As he read on int he story, he found out that after a High Harmonies concert during the "Cause" tour with N
Sync, a girl and some friends decided to follow the bus. Well, it had a police escort and was going pretty fast. The girl lost control of her car and crashed. She was killed and the other girls were severely injured. Brandon looked at the picture and realized that he had to get to Lynn as SOON as possible. He didn't even bother shutting off his computer, he just ran out the door.
"Guys, I am starting to get worried about Kim." Katy said after the episode of 'I Love Lucy' they were watching had ended.
"Yeah, she should be back here by now." Chels added.
"You aren't gonna give this up are you?" Joey asked.
"No, I'm not. I know James is with her, but with everything that has been going on lately, I think we should go and see if we can find her."
"Alright. But let's take two cars so we can check both ways to the studio. They are prolly sitting on the side of the road with car trouble or something." Joey said as he got up and stretched. He and Chels went in one car and Chris and Cheryl went in another one. Justin got JC up and they went to check the condo, to see if she was there for some reason and hadn't
called. Katy and Lance stayed there in case she came there.
Lynn was sitting on her couch, trying to figure out motives. She was deep in thought when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hi Lynn?"
"This is she."
"It's Brandon. I am on my way to your hotel to show you something I printed off my computer. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Does it have something to do with the case?" She asked.
"Yes. I think I might know who could be doing it."
"All right. Don;t rush, but hurry up." She said, her adrenaline starting to pump.
"Ok I should be there in 5 minutes." He said before hanging up his cell.
Five minutes later, there was a knock at Lynn's door.
"Look at the picture and then read the article." Brandon said as he stepped in handing Lynn the paper. After she read it, she sat and thought for a few seconds. Hmm. "All of this is possible. It would make everything explainable." She said out loud.
"Look, Kim was his daughters favorite and she staying after with him today to talk about some things with the tapings. You think we should go down to the studio to check it out?" He asked concerned.
"She what? Yes, come on, let's go." She said as she ran out of her apartment.
"It looks deserted." Lynn said as she and Brandon pulled into the studio parking lot.
"The employee parking is around back. Let's drive around and check it out. No one is inside. That red light by the door means the security system is active." Brandon informed as Lynn pulled her car around to the back.
"Who's that?" Brandon said as they pulled around back.
"I dunno, but let's go see." Lynn said as she parked the car and they got out to see who was in the two cars.
"Lynn, what are you doing here?" Joey asked as he and Chels got out of his car.
"Lynn, what are you doing here?" Chris asked as he and Cheryl got out of his car as well.
"Do you all know where Kim is?" Lynn asked, this not being a time for them to joke around.
"She was working late with James and hadn't come home so we came here to look for her." Joey answered.
"Oh no." Lynn mumbled.
"Is there something wrong?" Cheryl asked, seeing Lynn's expression in the car's headlights.
"She was with James and didn't come home?" She asked to clarify things.
"Yeah, that's what I just said." Cheryl answered.
"Brandon, do you know where he lives?" Lynn asked.
"Yeah."
"Let's go. Guys, you need to go back to the house, lock all the doors, stay together, and keep all the cell phones on in case I need you." Lynn said as she was getting back into the car.
"What's going on?" Chels yelled after her, starting to get scared.
"I'll fill you in later, now GO!!!!!" Lynn yelled as she started to peel out of the parking lot. She called the police on her way.
"Did you find her?" Katy asked as soon as JC and Justin walked back into the house.
"No, there was nobody there. I'm sure she's fine. You need to relax some." Justin tried to smile, but he was starting to get a little nervous himself.
"Relax? You want me to relax?" Katy yelped as she stormed off into the other room.
"I was just tryin to help." Justin said after she left.
"She knows. She's just worried and this is really hard on her. But ya know, I'm starting tog et a little worried too." JC said, trying to calm himself down as well as Justin.
"I'm gonna go see if she's all right." Lance said as he walked out the door.
He walked into the kitchen to see Katy staring at a glass of water she had fixed for herself but hadn't drank.
"Hey. Are you all right?" Lance asked in a soft voice as he walked over to her.
"Yes, well, no." Katy sighed. "I dunno. Kim is probably fine, but all this has me tripping. I'm just tired of it." Katy said as she tried to hold back tears. Lance walked over to her and wrapped her into his strong arms holding on to her tightly. She just melted against him as he kissed her cheek lightly and squeezed her gently.
"Is everyone here?" Chris yelled as he walked in the door, Cheryl, Joey, and Chels close behind.
"Yeah, everyone but Kim. Lance and Katy are int he kitchen. What's with all the excitement?" JC asked.
"We ran into Lynn. Something is up, we dunno what, but she told us to all stay together, lock all the doors, and keep the cell phones on in case she needs us." Cheryl answered as she ran around locking the doors and windows.
"You're kidding right?" Justin asked. "You know, haa haa funny?"
"Nope. Now help me lock everything up." Cheryl said.
"Katy, where are Gidget and Roarie?" Cheryl asked as she came into the kitchen.
Katy pulled away from Lance slightly, but not letting him go, "I don't know. I think in the back yard."
Cheryl didn't say anything else before she ran out he sliding door and tried to round them up. She found Gidget without much trouble, but Roarie was no where to be found.
"Katy, come out here and see if you can find your puppy ... and FAST!!!" Cheryl yelled from the yard.
Katy and Lance walked out the door. "Cheryl, what's going on?"
"Lynn told us all to stay together in the house with the doors locked. Something is up. Find her and let's get inside." About that time a loud whine came from behind a bush over by the fence. They all looked at each other before running to see what it was, hoping it wasn't Roarie.
Chapter 21
